Fishhook



L. L. AYERS FISHHOOK' March 28, 1950 v Filed DeQ. 26, 1946 FIG.

FIG. 4

LEON L. AYERS,

(Iflorneg I Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISHHOOK Leon L. Ayers, La Crosse, Wis.

Application December 26, 1946, Serial N0. 718,280

1 Claim. 1

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in fish hooks and is designed to produce a so-called Weedless hook in which the conventional fish hook is provided with a guard memher to prevent snagging of the hook in weeds or other subaqueous obstructions. This member comprises a loop engaged on the barb of the hook, a bead on which the tip of the hook is supported, and resilient means mounted on the hooks shank for properly positioning the bead to effect the desired result, viz. guarding the hook against engagement with the obstructions. The particularly novel and useful features of my device are the form and functioning of the bead and the character and operation of the resilient positioning means.

While I have illustrated in the drawing filed herewith and have hereinafter fully described one specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to saidspeeific embodiment but refer for its scope to the claim appended hereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the bead.

As illustrated in the drawing, the fish hook has a shank I formed at one end into a ring 2 for attaching the hook to the fishing line, and at its other end in a semi-circular bend 3 on the end of which is the point 4 having a divergent, slightly concave, inner face 5 extending rearwardly from the tip 6 of the point 4 to form the barb 1. A loop 8 of resilient wire has its ends suitably attached by wrapping 9 to the shank l and projects through ring 2 normal to shank I. Passed through the bight In of loop 8 there is an elastic element H, such as a continuous band of rubber or other suitable elastic material, having its bight I 2 engaged in bight ill of loop 8. Eight l3 at the other end of element ll receives therein the end of loop I 4 which is engaged on barb I. A bead I5 is mounted on element H which is passed through a central, longitudinal bore l6 in bead l5. Bead I5 has square,

end faces I? and I8 normal to the axis of bore l6 and four tapering sides l9 each having four faces I 9-11, l9--b', I9-c and l9d. As shown in Fig. 3, the longitudinal cross-section of bead l5 describes a decagon. The parts are so related that the spring loop 8 puts the elastic element ll under tension when the loop [4 is engaged on the barb 1 and bead I5 is so disposed that the point 4 bears on bead l5, its face 5 passing over one of the faces |9--a and its tip 6 resting on the adjacent face l9-b (Fig.3).

It is obvious that, when the parts are so disposed, the upper surface of the bead l5 against which the tip 6 fits snugly, due to the tension exerted by member II and loop 8, protects the hook to prevent its engagement with any obstruction, since the zenith of the bead is slightly superior to the tip 6. Due to the resiliency of element H, the bead I5 is depressible to expose the point 6 of the hook when the fish seeks the baited hook, or is lured by the bead l5 which is composed of suitable highly colored, reflecting material, or transparent material, such as colored glass or other suitable composition. It will be noted (Fig. 1) that the loop 8 is adjustable (as indicated in broken lines) so as to compensate for stretching of element II by continued use, to maintain proper tension on bead I5. is Having described my invention, what I claim In a fish hook, the combination of a conventional fish hook having a shank, tip and barb; and a lure comprising a body composed of highlycolored material resiliently mounted on said shank and said barb and engaging the inner side of said tip and projecting slightly past the end of said tip.

LEON L. AYERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 784,942 Henckler Mar. 14, 1905 1,166,529 Kruse Jan. 4, 1916 1,538,909 Shannon May 26, 1925 

